Animal-trap.



N0.v 726,350. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903. s. ROBINSON.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION TILED D30. 27. 1897.

N0 MODEL.

Ilnrrnn terns arnnr trier.

SAMUEL ROBINSON, OF MONMOUTII, ILLINOIS.

ANHWAL TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,350, dated April28, 1903..

Application filed December 27, 1897. Serial No. 663.546;- (N0 model.)

To (ti/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ROBINSON, residing at Monmouth, in thecounty'of WVarren and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Animal- Traps, of which the following is a fulldescription, reference being had to the annexed drawings and the lettersof reference, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to animaltraps, and particularly to thatclass known to the trade as platform-traps. A trap of this class usuallycomprises a suitable platform or base, a spring-actuated clamping orstriking jaw attached to the base at an intermediate point and adaptedto be moved back and forth past the point of attachment, and means,including a trigger, for holding the jaw in set position and forreleasing it when pressure is exerted upon the trigger.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a trap of thischaracter with improved means for automatically engaging the jaw as itis being moved to set position and for automatically looking it in setposition, to the end that it shall not be necessary to manipulate thetrigger or other locking device, thus avoiding the danger of having thefingers snapped by the jaw.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for holdingthe clamping or striking jaw in set position with certainty and withequal certainty releasing it when slight pressure is exerted upon thetrigger.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of myimprovedanimal-trap, showing the same in its normal sprung position. Fig. 2 is acentral sectional view on a line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the parts in position during the operation of setting the trap.Figmtshows the trap set, the dotted lines indicating the positioncertain of the parts take immediately after it is sprung. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the trap set for operation.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding partsin all of. the figures, A designates the base for thetrap, which may be of any suit able size, shape, or material adapted forthe purpose, and it may be provided with a recess a at the frontthereof, in which the trigger B is disposed. This trigger comprises anactuating-plate, a tongue projecting therefrom and having a loop throughwhich passes a pivot-pin b, secured to the base, and an upward extensionO at its rear end, provided with a downwardly-presented hook or shoulder0, forming a catch with which the under side of the end of theforwardly-extending arm D of the latch engages when the trap is set. Theactuating-plate of the trigger is normally held in an elevated positionby means of the leaf-spring E, which is secured to the rear portion ofthe base and projects forward under said plate, as shown in Fig. 2.Preferably the latch is stamped up from a sheet of metal, although itmay be otherwise formed, and is pivotally secured in a slot d at theextreme rear of the base by means of a pivot-pin d. The pivoted end ofthe latch is enlarged and provided with a diagonallyarranged slot P,narrower at its mouth than at its bottom, as shown, and located at oneside of the vertical plane of the pivot of the latch. That portion ofthe latch which overhangs the slot P forms a downwardly-projectin g hookwhich engages and holds the jaw in its open position. The latch projectsforward far enough to engage the hook on the trigger, and it ismaintained in proper positionby means of a guide f.

The clamping or striking jaw G is bent up from a piece of wire intosubstantiallya rectangular shape, its ends being arranged in staples gor other securing means and provided with spiral springs H of hightension, one end, h, of said spring having a bearing against the baseand the other end having a bearing against the jaw. The jawis pivoted ator about the middle of the base, between the trigger and the pivoted endof the latch, and when the trap is to be set the jaw is raised up andswung backward in the arc of a circle until it engages the rounded cam Ion the heel of the latch,which engagement results in forcing the heelbackward and raising the forward end of the latch-arm D into theposition illustrated in Fig. 2. The continued downward movement of thejaw carries the jaw beyond the cam and into engagement with the inclinedsurface 11, which forms one wall of the slot P and at all times lies inthe path of the jaw. This forces the forward end of the latch-arm Ddownward and carries it beneath the hook on the trigger into theposition shown in Fig. 4. In this operation the inclined or beveled endof the arm D acts as a cam and depresses the actuating-plate. The end ofthe arm D having passed the hook c, the spring E automatically forcesthe actuating-plate of the trigger up, so that the hook c engages thelatch-arm, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and holds the latch, while thehook formed by that portion of the latch which overhangs the slotPengages and holds the clam ping-jaw in position for operation.

The operation of setting the trap involves one of the distinctivefeatures of my invention which constitutes an important improvement inthe art, for it will be observed that as the jaw is carried backward itfirst engages cam I on the heel of the latch to raise the toe of the armD thereof above the hook or shoulder of the trigger, and on itscontinued downward movement the jaw passes said cam, enters the slot P,and engages the inclined face i of the latch. Thereafter its continueddownward movement will carry the toe of the latch-arm beneath the hookon the trigger, so that it will engage therewith and be held in saidposition until the trigger is tripped by pressure on the actuating-platethereof. The trap being set in the manner previously described and somesuitable bait being arranged upon the actuating-plate of the trigger, ifthe animal steps or in any way applies pressure to said plate the partsare adjusted with such nicety that the tension of the spring E will beovercome, the actuatingplate of the trigger depressed sufficiently torelease the toe of the latch, and thereby permit the jaw to be carriedback with great force by the springs H to strike and clamp the animal onthe base. It will be observed that the pivots of the trigger and lamband their points of engagement with each other are so disposed thatlines drawn from saidpivots to said points of engagement form an angleapproximatinga right angle. As shown in the drawings, the angle isslightly acute. By reason of this construction the strains which thelatch exerts upon the trigger are outward or substantially radial withrespect to the pivotal axis of the trigger. The advantage of thisarrangement is that it increases the sensitiveness of the trap withoutin the least impairing the security with which the trigger holds thelatch. With the parts constructed and arranged as shown in the drawingswhen the latch and trigger disengage they will move in directions thatare transverse to each other and that form an obtuse angle, so that indisengaging the trigger from the latch the shoulder of the trigger doesnot move in a direction opposed to that in which the latch tends to moveunder the,influence of the jaw. On the contrary, the shoulder of thetrigger simply slips off of the toe of the latch and is restrained onlyby its frictional contact with the toe.

I am aware that it has been proposed to hold thejaw of aplatform-trapopen by means of a trigger device having a hook which engages the jawdirectly and upon which the jaw exerts a strain which is outward orradial with respect to the pivotal axis of said trigger device; but thisis not the equivalent of myinvention, which involves the interpositionbetween the jaw and the trigger of a latch having an arm of considerablelength, which has the efiect of reducing through its leverage thepressure upon the trigger.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is j 1. In an animal-trap, the combination ofa base, a spring-actuated clamping-jaw, a trigger located at the frontof the base and provided with a hook, and a latch pivotally secured atthe rear end of the base and provided with a slot to receive the jaw,the toe of said latch extending forward in position to engage'the hookof the trigger, substantially as described.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuatedclamping-jaw, a trigger pivotally mounted at the front of the base andprovided with an upward extension, a hook on said upward extension, alatch pivotally mounted on the base at the extreme rear end thereof,said pivoted end of the latch being enlarged and provided with a slot toreceive the jaw, a cam on the latch adapted to be engaged by the jaw toraise the forwardly-projecting toe of the latch above the hook of thetrigger, and a part adapted to be engaged by the jaw to depress the toeof the latch so that it will engage the hook on the trigger,substantially as described.

3. In an animaltrap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted on the base at or about the middle thereof, a triggerpivoted to the base in front of the pivot of said jaw and provided witha downwardly-presented shoulder, a latch pi voted on the base at theextreme rear end thereof, said latch having its heel provided with adownwardly-presented shoulder to engage the jaw and having its toeextended forward and adapted to engage the under side of the shoulder onthe trigger, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivoted. to the base, a pivoted latch for holding the jaw in its setposition, and a pivoted trigger held in ,its normal position underyielding tension,

and having a catch to hold the latch in its jaw-holding position,thelatch being arranged to be moved by the jaw into its jaw-holdingposition and having a forwardly-extending arm for engagement by thetrigger-catch, and by which as the latch is moved into its jaw-holdingposition, the trigger is thrown to enable its catch to engage thelatch-arm,

the jaw being of such length that in opening it engages the latchbetween the pivots of the trigger and latch, substantially as described.

5. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivoted to the base, a pivoted latch for holding the jaw in its setposition, said latch having in the vicinity of its pivot a shoulderadapted to engage the jaw and a cam adapted to be engaged by the jaw asthe latter is being opened, whereby the latch is moved to allow the jawto pass the shoulder and the shoulder to move to its jaw-holdingposition, and a pivoted trigger adapted to engage the latch and hold itin its jaw-holding position, the pivots of the trigger and latch andtheir engaging points being so disposed that the strains upon thetrigger will be outward with respect to its pivotal axis, substantiallyas described.

6. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivoted to the base, a pivoted latch for holding the jaw in its setposition, said latch having in the vicinity of its pivot a shoulderadapted to engage the jaw and a cam adapted to be engaged by the jaw asthe latter is being opened, whereby the latch is moved to allow the jawto pass the shoulder and the shoulder to move to its jaw-holdingposition, and a pivoted trigger adapted to engage the latch and hold itin its jaw-holding position, the pivots of the latch and trigger andtheir engaging points being so disposed that, in disengaging, saidpoints will move in directions that are transverse to each other,substantially as described.

7. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivoted to the base, a pivoted latch for holding the jaw in its setposition, said latch having in the vicinity of its pivot a shoulderadapted to engage the jaw and a cam adapted to be en gaged by the jaw asthe latter is being opened, whereby the latch is moved to allow the jawto pass the shoulder and the shoulder to move to its jaw-holdingposition, and a pivoted trigger adapted to engage the latch and hold itin its jaw-holding position, the pivots of the latch and trigger andtheir engaging points being so disposed that, in disengaging, saidpoints will move in directions that form an obtuse angle with eachother, substantially as described.

8. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivoted to the base, a pivoted latch for holding the jaw in its setposition, said latch having in the vicinity of its pivot a shoulderadapted to engage the jaw and a cam adapted to be engaged by the jaw asthe latter is being opened, whereby the latch is moved to allow the jawto pass the shoulder and the shoulder to move to its jaw-holdingposition, and a pivoted trigger adapted to engage the latch and hold itin its jaw-holding position, the pivots of the latch and trigger andtheir engaging points being so disposed that lines drawn from saidpivots .as described.

10. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted upon the base, a jaw-latch pivoted to the base andhaving a part which at all times lies in the path of the jaw and adaptedto be engaged thereby as the jaw is opened, whereby the latch is movedto its jaw-holding position and its toe depressed, a trigger havingmeans for engaging the toe of the latch for holding the latch in itsjaw-holding position, and means for automatically moving the triggerinto its latch-holding position, substantially as described.

11. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted upon the base, a latch and a trigger both pivoted tothe base and projecting in the same direction from their respectivepivots, the latch being provided with means for engaging the jaw and thetrigger being provided with means for engaging the latch for holding thelatch in its jaw-holding position, and the latch being provided with anarm which projects forward to such a point that its point of engagementwith the trigger will move away from the pivotal axis of the trigger asthe parts disengage, substantially as described.

12. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted on the base, a latch pivoted to the base at a pointbeyondthe sweep of the jaw and having within the sweep of the jaw acam-surface adapted to be engaged by the jaw for lifting the toe of thelatch, said latch having also a part which at all times lies in the pathof the jaw and is adapted to be engaged by said jaw, after passing saidcam-surface, for moving the latch to its jaw-holding position anddepressing its too, and a trigger having means for engaging the toe ofthe latch for holding the latch in its jaw-holding position,substantially as described.

13. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted upon the base, a latch pivoted to the base beyond thesweep of the jaw and having an arm extending in the direction of thejawpivot, and terminating in a too, said jaw being adapted to engage thelatch between its pivot and toe whereby the latch is moved tojaw-holding position and its toe depressed, and a trigger pivoted to thebase and projecting from its pivot in the same direction as the latchand hold it in its jaw-holding position, and means for automaticallymoving the trigger to its latch-holding position, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL ROBINSON.

does the latch, said trigger having means for engaging the toe of thelatch, substantially as described.

14. In an animal-trap, the combination of a base, a spring-actuated jawpivotally mounted upon the base, a jaw-latch pivoted to the base andhaving a toe provided with a camsnrface, a trigger having a part locatedin the I path of said cam-surface, whereby the trigger 1 is moved by thelatch as the latch is moved lVitnesses:

F. M. MILLER,

by the jaw, said trigger having also a down- I FRANK MOCRAY.

wardly-presen ted shoulder adapted to en gage

